Category Archives: Wildlife

With a migration pattern that stretches thousands of miles, it is no surprise that Massachusetts is home to four types of turtles during the summer, all of them protected by local and international law. And while you probably know that sea turtles often frequent the Massachusetts beaches, can you identify them?

As part of its work to assess salt marsh health, staff from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) have frequently observed abundant green crabs, often burrowing in the banks of marsh creeks. This summer, CZM is examining the potential impacts of green crabs in salt marsh habitats, including the impact of burrowing activity.

Looking for a fun day trip for you and possibly your family? Look no further, the Boston Harbor Islands are the place to be. Lots of events take place on these islands during the summer months, so enjoy these festivities while they are here! Spectacle …Continue Reading Plan a Day Trip – Right in Boston Harbor!

Celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the Boston Fish Pier, the Boston Seafood Festival, despite the rain, was a huge hit. People came from all over to celebrate seafood and art and participate in informative discussions and crafts. Locals and residents from the surrounding area enjoyed …Continue Reading Boston Seafood Festival 2014: A success!

I always thought wasps were the bad guys growing up. But smokey-winged beetle bandit wasps (Cerceris fumipennis) are actually the good guys – used to kill off an invasive species. This specific type of wasp (that does not sting) catches Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a …Continue Reading Calling All Insect-Loving Volunteers!

Wish your license plate was more identifiable? Want to save whales? Well, there is a way to achieve both of these at once. Perhaps the old saying about hitting two birds with one stone should be “do two cool things with one easy payment to the …Continue Reading A Whale of a License Plate

On Thursday, May 15, 250 high school students from over 30 Massachusetts communities from Boston to the Berkshires participated in the 27th annual Massachusetts Envirothon, hosted at Sholan Farms in Leominster. As part of this annual outdoor field competition, the Bay State teens focused on sustainable …Continue Reading 2014 Envirothon: Engaging Youth On the Environment

“For many of us, water simply flows from a faucet, and we think little about it beyond this point of contact. We have lost a sense of respect for the wild river, for the complex workings of a wetland, for the intricate web of life …Continue Reading May is Wetlands Month

May’s Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar Photo Contest winner was Shirley Burdick, who photographed a bumblebee visiting a dahlia in Massachusetts. May is an important month here in Massachusetts. Not only do we welcome the warmer, sunnier days that spring has to offer, we also begin to plant …Continue Reading 2014 DAR Agricultural Calendar: May

Cold weather inspiring you to hibernate? Ready for spring to come soon, preferably tomorrow? If you believe in superstition, Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog from the town of Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania, has seen his shadow and revealed that we’re getting six more week of winter. But …Continue Reading Happy (Day After) Groundhog Day!